1970-1976: After the Pilots, Seattle's first Major League team was unable to stay afloat financially in Sicks' Stadium, and moved to Milwaukee,
plans began to bring the Majors back to Seattle began almost immediately. The
first step was to have a building more suited for big time professional sports.
Plans for a multi-purposed domed stadium were already in the early stages in the
attempt to bring the NFL to the Pacific Northwest. While plans for a new stadium
were coming together, Seattle filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball.
The owners were afraid of the potential harm of a lawsuit so in 1973, they decided
to promise Seattle a new team during the next expansion. However by 1975
it was looking as if the expansion team was a hollow promise, so Seattle tried
to land a team in existence to move into the new Kingdome, which was to be completed
in 1976. A group of owners were all stet to buy the Chicago White Sox and
move to the Emerald City, but baseball refused to allow one of the American League's
charter franchises to leave the Windy City. Fearful of further lawsuits,
and relocation threats baseball finally fulfilled their promise and gave Seattle,
and Toronto expansion teams that would begin play in 1977.
1977: As the Mariners prepared for their inaugural season the city of Seattle threw a big
parade to welcome back Major League Baseball to the Pacific Northwest. On April
6th the waiting finally ended as the Mariners took the field at the Kingdome
in the first ever American League game played in a dome. Ironically former Seattle
Pilot Diego Segui was the starting pitcher for the Mariners as 57,762 fans
settled in for the birth of Mariners baseball. However, the fans would go home
disappointed that first day, as the Mariners were walloped 7-0 by the California
Angels. Losing would become a habit that first year as the Mariners finished
with a woeful 64-98 record. However, thanks to a collapse from the Oakland A's
the Mariners were able to avoid finishing in last by half of game, and were nine
and half games better then their expansion partner Toronto Blue Jays.
1978: With a team full of castoffs, and unproven players the Mariners continued to struggle
and fell to last place with a 58-104 record in their second season.
1979: While the Mariners struggled again in their third season finishing in sixth place
with a record of 67-95, the Pacific Northwest had their first taste of the baseball
spotlight as they hosted the All-Star Game, which was the 50th game featuring
the American League's best going up against the best of the National League.
The game would end up being one of the most exciting in All-Star history as
the lead went back and forth. The game turned in the seventh inning when Boston
Red Sox Jim Rice hit a fly ball that Pittsburgh Pirates Rightfielder Dave Parker
lost in the lights, Rice seeing Parker's troubles decided to try and stretch
the hit into a triple. However, Parker recovered and nailed Rice at 3rd base to
keep American League lead at one. The National League would then tie the game
on New York Mets Lee Mazzilli homer that hit the Leftfield fair pole. In the bottom
of the eighth inning with two outs, New York Yankee Graig Nettles hit a single
to right. However, All-Star MVP Parker made another great throw to Montreal
Expos catcher Gary Carter who tagged California Angels Brian Downing, who tried
to score from second base. The National League would then take the lead for
good in the ninth inning as Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry walked Mazzilli with the
bases loaded.
1980: In their fourth season the Mariners continued to tread water as they lost 103 games
and finished dead last. However, more disturbing was the M's continued to struggle
at the gate, and drew less the one million fans to the Kingdome for the
third year in a row. Fans and players were both dissatisfied with Kingdome, which
had all the charm of a dungeon and certainly did not invite fans in who wanted
to enjoy a sunny summer day, as the Dome's concrete roof not only kept out the
rain it kept out any light, and gave the stadium an antiseptic look that did
not aid in attempts to draw fans. This all contributed to the doubt that Major
League Baseball would ever be viable in Seattle.
1981: The good news for the Mariners was that they avoided losing 95 games for the first
time in franchise history. However, the bad news was that if it not for a two
month player's strike they would likely reached that depth once again, as they
posted an overall record of 44-65. However, what was more disturbing was that
the M's continued to struggle at the gate only averaging a crowd of 14,000 a game.
1982: In an attempt to help boost attendance the Mariners sign 43-year-old pitcher Gaylord
Perry who only needs three more wins to collect his 300th career win. The move
would payoff as 27,369 fans would show up to the Kingdome on May 6th to watch
Perry collect win number 300 with a complete game 7-3 victory against the New
York Yankees. That would not be the only positives for the Mariners that year
as the team flirts with .500-mark, before finishing in fourth place with a 78-84
record. Helping to spur the M's improvement was Floyd Bannister who led the
American League in strikeouts, becoming the first Mariner to lead the league in
a major category.1983: In an attempt to be flashier the Mariners station a boat beyond the outfield wall
called the USS Mariner. The boat would fire a cannon after ever home run and rock
during dramatic moments. In addition the boat would have a tugboat partner
that would bring relievers in from the bullpen. Despite the flashy new additions,
the team would take a turn downward finishing in last place with a 60-102 record.
The Mariners also angered their fans when they traded the popular Julio Cruz
to the Chicago White Sox for Tony Bernazard, then Seattle fired Manager Lachemann
on June 25th and replaced him with Del Crandall. On that same day let go
of future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry and their starting shortstop Todd Cruz.
This day would be become known as the Saturday Massacre. None of the moves worked
as Seattle's attendance continued to plummet as the M's barely drew 10,000 a
game.
1984: Mariners fans were finally able to have some hope for the future as Rookies Alvin
Davis, and Mark Langston burst on to the scene. Davis who was called up a few
days after opening day made an immediate impact getting a game winning RBI when
he homered in his second at-bat, off of Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis Eckersley,
after a month he was hitting .347 with 9 homers and 28 RBI's. At the same time
rookie pitcher Mark Langston was setting records. Seattle was beginning to look
to build around these two players as a foundation for the future. Davis would
go onto win the Rookie of the Year, and rewrite the M's record book by hitting
.284 with 27 home runs, 116 RBI's, 97 base-on-balls, and collecting 161 hits.
Meanwhile, Mark Langston finished second in Rookie of the Year voting also finished
with an impressive season. His final record was 17-10 with a 3.40 ERA. In
addition he led the American League in strikeouts with 204. However, with their
success the team still struggled to finish 74-88 in fifth place.
1985: While their expansion brother Toronto Blue Jays get their first taste of success,
winning the American League East, the Mariners continue to struggle finishing
in sixth place with a 74-88 record.
1986: The Mariners sink to the bottom of the American League Western Division again with
an awful 67-95 record. The lone bright spot was the strong year put up by Rookie
Outfielder Danny Tartabull who hit 25 home runs, and drove in 96 runs. However,
in a puzzling move after the season Tartabull would be traded away to the
Kansas City Royals for pitcher Scott Bankhead. The Mariners also found themselves
on the wrong end of history, as Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens struck out
a new single game record of 20 against the Mariners in Boston on April 29th.
1987: Finishing in last place in 1986 would payoff during the Baseball draft as the Mariners
had the Number 1 pick and drafted a 17-year old named Ken Griffey Jr. While
the M's would have to wait for Junior to develop in the minors, the team began
to show improvements. They would still finish below .500 with a 78-84 record,
but it would get them into fourth place only seven games behind the eventual
World Champion Minnesota Twins. Helping to spur the upswing was Mark Langston who
established a new franchise record with 19 wins. Meanwhile, Alvin Davis had
a his best year batting .295 with 171 hits, 37 doubles, 29 home runs, and 100 RBIs.
In addition 2B Harold Reynolds would have a breakout season by ending Rickey
Henderson's eight year stranglehold on the American League Stolen Base crown.
Mariners fans would get a glimpse of the future in September as 3B Edgar Martinez
made his Major League Debut, with five doubles and a seven game hitting streak
from September 14-20, while batting .372.
1988: While the Mariners sank to the bottom of the American League West again with a woeful
68-93 record, the Mariners continued to build for the future by acquiring
a rookie slugger named Jay Buhner from the New York Yankees for Ken Phelps. Buhner
would go on to become a fan favorite over the next decade in Seattle while
Phelps only played parts of two seasons with Yankees.
1989: As a 19-year old non-roster invitee to spring training Ken Griffey Jr. was not expected
to be ready for the Majors, but he impressed M's brass so much in Spring
Training that he not only made the team, but was also in Centerfield on Opening
Day. Griffey doubled in his first At Bat on April 3rd, and would collect his
first home run a week later in the Kingdome season opener, and would go on to hit
.325 his first month. In early July he was leading all rookies with a .287 average,
13 home runs, 45 RBI and was considered a shoe-in for American League Rookie
of the Year. However, he would then break a bone in the little finger on
his left hand forcing him to miss the next six weeks. When Junior came back he
batted only .214 with 3 homers and 16 RBI, because of this he lost out on the award.
The club would also struggle during Jr.'s absence losing 16 of 25 games played,
which ended all hopes of the franchise's first winning season, as they finished
in 6th place with a 73-89 record. Another sweeping change for the Mariners
came on May 25th when the club dealt longtime ace Mark Langston to the Montreal
Expos for three prospects. However, one of these prospects was 6'10" left
Randy Johnson, who would make fans forget all about Langston with in a few years.
In his first year with the Mariners "The Big Unit" would win seven games, while
showing signs of his future dominance.
1990: Ken Griffey Jr. continued to develop into one of baseball's best players, as he made
the All-Star team for the 1st time in his career. Griffey would go on to hit
.300 for the season while hitting 22 home runs, and driving in 80 runs. However,
that was not what Griffey's season would be remembered for. On August 29th
the Mariners signed Ken Griffey Sr., who was winding down a stellar career.
When the elder Griffey made his first appearance in a Mariners game on August
31st he was joined by his son, becoming the first Father and Son to play in the
same Major League game. In their first game together each got singles in the
their first at bats. Exactly two weeks later they would make even more history
as they hit back to back homers in California off Kirk McCaskill of the Angels.
The move which started out as gimmick would go on to have a positive impact as
Senior Griffey put up good numbers, while providing leadership to the young Mariners,
who finished in fifth place with a 77-85 record. The Griffeys were not
the only ones making history, Randy Johnson in his first full year as a Mariner
won 14 games, and pitched the first No Hitter in franchise history on June 2nd.
1991: For the first time in club history the Seattle Mariners finished the season above
.500 taking home a modest 83-79 record. Ken Griffey Jr. was named to his second
All-Star Game and brought home the club's first Silver Slugger Award, hitting
.327 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI. Despite the impressive year the Mariners decide
to fire Manager Jim Lefebvre at the end of the season.
1992: Edgar Martinez joined Ken Griffey Jr. (who won the game's MVP) as an All-Star and
also earned a Silver Slugger Award and the first batting crown in Mariners' history
slapping out a .343 average. However, the Mariners would sink to the bottom
again with a woeful 64-98 record. Among the disappointments was newly acquired
Kevin Mitchell who only managed nine home runs. Another problem that interfered
with Mariners chances was the continued instability in ownership. The Mariners
would go on to change hands for the fourth time in their 16-year history. What
would also become abundantly clear was that if the Mariners were to ever have
long-term success in Seattle they would have to get a new ballpark. In other
news the Mariners also made more news in proving baseball is a family game when
Bret Boone, made his Major League Debut becoming the first third generation family
in baseball history. Bret's grandfather Ray played infield from 1948-1960,
and his father Bob was a star catcher from 1972-1990.
1993: The Mariners would enter the season, with a new look, and a new fiery manager Lou
Piniella. The Mariners who rebounded to finish in fourth place with an 82-80 record,
were spurred on by their two superstars Ken Griffey Jr. (who hit .309 with
47 home runs, and 109 RBI), and Randy Johnson (who won 19 games while striking
out 308). Junior Griffey made history by homering in eight straight games July
20th-28th tying the record held by Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates (1956),
and Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees (1987). However, it was not
"The Big Unit" who delivered the best pitching performance. On April 22nd, pitcher
Chris Bosio, in just his fourth start as a Mariner, walked the first two batters
faced and then preceded to retire the next 27 for the club's second no hitter.1994: Not only was the season shortened by the August 12th player's strike, but so was
the Mariners home schedule. On July 19th, just three hours before game-time the
first of four 15-pound Kingdome tiles fell to the ground. The game was postponed
and the Mariners played the remainder of the season on the road. Playing on
the road most of the season dropped the Mariners record below .500 to 49-63. However,
because the rest of the newly reconstructed Western Division also struggled
the Mariners were only two games out of first place when the season ended on
August 12th. However, what was the most disappointing was that Ken Griffey Jr.'s
pursuit for the single season home run record was cut short as well. Griffey
who had 40 home run on August 12th was well on his way to 50 home runs, and even
had a shot at Roger Maris' record of 61.
1995: Coming off a strike, and structural problems with the Kingdome, 1995 was shaping
up as the most important year in the Mariners history. Success on the field would
not be enough since a referendum for a new stadium was due to go in front of
voters in September the Mariners had to convince the city of Seattle that the
team deserved a new stadium. If the stadium measure was defeated chances were the
Mariners would have to sail out of town with in a few years, since long term
success at the Kingdome was unrealistic. However, one big problem was that many
baseball fans were angry at their sport, after the strike, and were forming their
own boycott, by simply not caring about baseball anymore. If Seattle was not
going to get their support there was no hope for a new stadium. Also hampering
the Mariners was long held notion that Seattle simply was not and never would
be a baseball town. When the season started the Mariners were among many teams
playing in empty stadiums, as jilted fans refused to go to games. The Mariners
looked strong and were considered a favorite in the American League Western Division,
but on Memorial Day Weekend their playoff hopes took what looked like
a fatal blow when Ken Griffey Jr. broke his wrist crashing into the Kingdome wall.
During, Junior's absence the Mariners threaded water thanks to the dominate
pitching of Randy Johnson. However, the Big Unit only pitched every five days,
and the Mariners were falling out of the race. As August started things looked
bleak as the Mariners trailed the first place California Angels by 13 games, while
the stadium referendum was looking like a lost cause in the polls. Trying
to get back in the Western Division race or even the Wild Card race the Mariners
acquired pitcher Andy Benes. In Benes' first start he defeated the Angels in
California little did anyone know at that time it would be the start of something
big. With Mariners starting to creep back into the playoff picture, the team
got another boost when Ken Griffey Jr. returned from the Disabled List. Junior's
return was just the spark the Mariners needed as they caught fire, and started
slicing away at the Angels lead. When the calendar turned to September the Mariners
were suddenly back in the race, and with the slogan "Refuse to Loose" Seattle
fans began to catch on. While the M's were making their run, the referendum
fell to defeat on September 19th. However, the Mariners continued to creep
on the Angels, and when the season went into the last weekend of the season they
were among three teams bidding for two playoff spots. While the New Yankees won
their last three to clinch the Wild Card, the Mariners caught the Angels and
ended the season in a flat-footed tie for the division with a 78-66 record. Since
only one team would qualify for the playoffs a one game playoff was needed
to decide who the American League Western Division Champion was. The one-game Playoff
would be held in the Kingdome, as the entire city of Seattle was the grips
of Mariners fever. The M's would have another advantage, as they would be sending
the Randy Johnson to the mound that dominated the AL all year. Meanwhile
on the mound for the Angels was Mark Langston, who was traded six years earlier
for Johnson. The game was a pitcher's duel as the M's led 1-0 into the seventh
inning, when the Mariners erupted for four runs off Langston. The Mariners would
continue to tack on runs, and would win the division with a 9-1 victory. This
performance would also ensure Randy Johnson of winning the Cy Young Award, a
first for a Mariner pitcher. His final regular season stats would be a record of
18-2, 294 strikeouts and a league leading 2.48 ERA.
1995: In the first ever American League Division Series the Mariners faced the New York
Yankees. The Mariners who could not use Randy Johnson in any of the first two
games had their backs on the wall instantly as the Yankees took Game 1 by a score
of 9-6. Knowing a loss in Game 2 would likely be certain death the Mariners
battled the Yankees back and forth into Extra Innings. However, the M's would lose
in 15 innings on Jim Leyritz 2-run homer. The Mariners returned to Seattle
down 2-0, needing to win three straight games to advance to the ALCS. In front
of a ruckus crowd of 58,000 Randy Johnson got the M's back into the series with
a 7-4 win in Game 3. However, things looked bleak as the Yankees grabbed an early
5-0 lead in Game 4, but the Mariners refused to lose, and led by Grand Slam
for Edgar Martinez the Mariners came back to win 11-8 and force a 5th and deciding
game. In Game 5 the Yankees would take a 4-2 lead to the eighth inning. The
Mariners would tie the game 4-4, and sensing it was now or never Lou Piniella
brought Randy Johnson into pitch the ninth Inning. However, the Yankees also kept
the M's off the board, and when the Yankees scored a run in the 11th things
looked bleak again. However, the Mariners would not die, as Joey Cora and Ken
Griffey Jr. hit singles to bring up Edgar Martinez. As the crowed chanted, "Refuse
to Lose", Martinez hit a double to score both Cora and Jr. to win the game
6-5. After coming off the decks again the Mariners were heavy underdogs in the
ALCS against the Cleveland Indians. In Game 1 the depleted the Mariners were forced
to start Bob Wolcott on the mound, however in a year of heroes Wolcott would
come up big as the Mariners took Game 1 at the Kingdome 3-2. After the Indians
bounced back to take Game 2 the Mariners would send Randy Johnson back to the
mound in Game 3. The Mariners would hold a 2-1 lead, as the Big Unit seemed to
be cruising to another big win. However, Jay Buhner missed a fly ball that allowed
Cleveland to tied the game and send it into extra innings. However, Buhner
redeemed himself by hitting three run home run while Norm Charlton shut the door
to win 5-2. The Mariners looked like the magic could carry them beyond their
fans wildest dreams after taking a 2-1 series lead. However, the Indians would
bounce back to take the next two games, and sent the series back to Seattle leading
3-2. The Mariners hoped they could force Game 7, and sent Randy Johnson
back to the mound, but the magic had run out and a tiring Big Unit gave up three
runs in the eighth inning, while Dennis Martinez shut down the M's 4-0. While
the Indians advanced to the World Series, appreciative Mariner fans gave their
team a standing ovation. In the end the Mariners though not World Champions, were
finally champions in Seattle. Seattle was in fact a baseball town, and the
playoff drive would force the Seattle Legislator into a special session where they
devised a new plan, and finally approved the building of a new stadium.
1996: Alex Rodriguez had a break out year winning the silver slugger award, and the American
League batting crown by hitting .358 with 36 home runs and 123 RBI. The Mariners
offense quickly established itself as one of the strongest in baseball.
However, with injuries limiting Randy Johnson to just 14 appearances, the Mariners
pitching struggled all year. Despite the struggles of the pitching staff the
M's still managed to post an 85-77 record, but finished four and half games
behind the Texas Rangers for the division title.
1997: As the Mariners celebrated their 20th Anniversary the team got a boost as Randy Johnson
bounced back from injuries to win 20 games. The Mariners offense led by
American League MVP Ken Griffey Jr, continued to be one of the most dominant in
baseball, as the Mariners reclaimed first Place. Despite riding high in first
place a potential problem was on the horizon as Seattle's bullpen gave up allot
of runs. In an attempt to make the pen stronger by trading rookie OF Jose Cruz
Jr. to the Blue Jays for Mike Timlin, and Paul Splojarik. However, Timlin, and
Splojarik both struggled, and the Mariners pen continued to give Lou Piniella,
and the rest of Seattle ajita. However, the Mariners would still go on to win
90 games for the first time in franchise history capturing the Western Division
for the second time in three years. That year the Mariners also broke the three
million mark in attendance for the first time, as construction was under way
on their future stadium. In the Division Series the Mariners faced the Baltimore
Orioles. However, none of the playoff magic from 1995 could be dredged up as
the Randy Johnson was hit hard twice while the Mariners lost the series three games
to one.
1998: The Mariners pitching woes finally caught up to them as the team struggled to finish
in thirrd place with a record of 76-85, despite outstanding offensive years
from Alex Rodriguez, (who became the third person in baseball history to hit more
then 40 home runs, and steal more then 40 bases in the same season), and Ken
Griffey Jr. (who hit 56 home runs finishing third in the great race for the single
season record behind Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa). However, the year would
also see the end of an era as Randy Johnson is traded away with Mariners falling
out of the race in July. The Mariners were forced to trade the Big Unit out
of fear he wanted to sign with his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks. While Johnson
helped guide the Houston Astros to the National League Central Division title
the Mariners received a promising group of prospects. In the end it turned out
that Johnson did want to go home, and the M's were able to get something for
him, unlike the Astros, who watched him slip away via free agency.
1999: On July 15th in front of a sell out crowd the Mariners field of dreams Safeco Field
finally opened. While the Mariners lost that first game to the San Diego Padres
3-2, fans fell in love with new state of the art stadium with a retractable
roof right away. Almost immediately it was discovered that the new park was more
pitcher friendly, and Mariners pitchers could afford to give up more fly balls
without the fear of it going out, like previously at the Kingdome. While the
Mariners again struggled to a third place 79-83 season, the M's young pitching
began to show promise. Leading the pitching resurgence was Freddy Garcia who won
17 games in his first full season after being acquired for Randy Johnson. However,
not everyone was impressed with Safeco Field, as Ken Griffey Jr., who saw
his offensive numbers declining, demanded the fences to be moved in. When the
club refused Junior requested a trade. Faced with the free agency of both Junior,
and A-rod after the 2000 season the Mariners were forced to peruse a deal for
the Ken Griffey Jr., the player most responsible for the franchise's turn around.
After Junior rejected a deal to the New York Mets in December, the Mariners
were forced to deal him to the Cincinnati Reds for a group of prospects including
Mike Cameron, and Brett Tomko.
2000: With the loss of Junior not much was expected for the Mariners. However, Alex Rodriguez
picked up the slack hitting 41 home runs, and driving in 132 RBI. Despite
A-rod's offense the Mariners would need more to return to the top of the division,
and that would come in the form of a solid pitching staff who was one of
the strongest in the American League, led by Aaron Sele who won 17 games. Also
helping the revamped M's was the bullpen, which now held leads as Kazuhio Sasaki
came over from Japan and saved 37 games en-route to winning the Rookie of the
Year. The Mariners held on to first for most of the season, but a hard charging
Oakland A's team jeopardized their playoff chances. The season would comedown
to the final weekend and much like 1995 the Mariners were among three teams vying
for two spots. However, this time the Cleveland Indians would fade away and
the Mariners and A's would both make the playoffs. However, this would have a
negative effect on the division title hopes of the Mariners who finished a half
a game out of first with a 91-71 record. Since both teams were in the postseason
there was no need for a playoff, and with the Oakland Athletics winning the
season series over the Mariners the M's were forced to settle for the Wild Card.
In the Division Series the Mariners were matched-up against the Chicago White
Sox. The Mariners would get off to a fast start as they won Game 1 by a score
of 7-4 thanks to back-to-back home runs form John Olerud, and Edgar Martinez. The
M's would also take Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead home to Safeco Field. The
Mariners would then complete the sweep in Game 3 on Carlos Guillen's ninth Inning
suicide squeeze. In the ALCS the Mariners faced the New York Yankees who
were gunning for their third straight World Series. The M's would get off to a
fast start as Freddy Garcia shut down the Bombers 2-0 in Game 1. The Mariners would
also quiet Yankee bats in Game 2, until the eighth Inning when the Yankees
bats exploded to score seven runs, to even the series. Yankee bats stayed hot
into Game 3 as the series shifted to Safeco Field. The Mariners would also be thwarted
in Game 4 as Roger Clemens held them to one hit to give the Yankees a 3-1
stranglehold on the series. The Mariners would bounce back as Garcia shut down
the Yanks again in Game 5 to send the series back to New York. In between games
the New York Mets clinched the National League Pennant, and the entire city
of New York anticipated a Subway Series. However, the Mariners were not going
to go down without a fight, and would take an early 4- 0 lead only to have the
Yankees chip away, and eventually go ahead in the seventh inning on David Justice's
upper deck three run homer. The Yanks would tack on more runs and grab a 9-4
lead, but the Mariners never showed any quit, and would score three more runs.
However it was not enough as the Yanks went on to the World Series. After the
season the Mariners were dealt another blow as Alex Rodriguez took the money,
and ran to Texas for a record ten year deal worth a quarter of a billion dollars.
2001: To replace Alex Rodriguez the Mariners signed Brett Boone to a one year free agency
deal hoping if he could not fill A-Rod's shoes, he would at least be an adequate
replacement. In addition the Mariners also singed Ichiro Suzuki who was the
leading hitter in Japan. Once again not that much was expected from the Mariners
going into the season, but as the season began it was clear that the team had
something special. The Mariners jumped out of the gate and by the end of April
were well on the way to a division Title. However, that was the story as the
season went on the Mariners could not be stopped, and looked poised to actually
make a run at the single season win record. Leading the way was Ichiro Suzuki
who became a global; baseball phenomenon and won both the Rookie of the Year and
MVP, while leading the league in hitting and stolen bases. Meanwhile their other
signing Brett Boone drove in 141 RBI, more then making up for the loss of
A-Rod. The Mariners would not be denied, and with 116 wins they were able to equal
the all-time single season record held by the 1906 Chicago Cubs. In what must
have been another moment of personal satisfaction for Mariner fans the team
finished 43 games better then A-Rod's last place Texas Rangers. In the ALDS the
Mariners would face the Cleveland Indians, and would find rough seas right away
as they were blanked by Bartolo Colon in Game 1. The Mariners would rebound to
win Game 2, but after they were blown out 17-2 in Game 3 it looked as if the
Mariners glorious season would forever be tarnished by a loss in the 1st round.
However Freddy Garcia, would avenge his loss in Game 1 by out dueling Colon 6-2
to force a decisive fifth game back in Seattle. In Game 5 it was Aaron Sele who
came up the hero winning his second game of the series 3-1 to give the Mariners
an ALCS rematch with New York Yankees. However the Mariners struggles continued
and the Yankees jumped out to a quick 2-0 series lead. Following the game
Manager Lou Piniella boldly predicted the series would return to Seattle. After
breaking out with a 14-3 win in Game 3 in the Bronx, it looked as if the Mariners
would deliver on Piniellla's promise. Game 4 would be a pitcher's duel with
neither team being able to scratch out a run until the eighth Inning when Brett
Boone hit a two out home run. However the Yanks would answer with a home run
by Bernie Williams in the bottom of the inning. The Yanks would go on to win the
game with a home run in the ninth inning to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The loss ended up being the back breaker s the M's would fall in five games after
a 12-3 loss, that did not ruin their great season, but certainly made it a
little disappointing.
2002: Coming off their record-breaking season the Mariners would get off to another flying
start winning 17 of their first 21 games. However, keeping up that pace two
years in a row proved impossible especially with Edgar Martinez missing games
due to an assortment of injuries. However with a 55-33 record at the All-Star Break
the Mariners were in position to make the playoffs for the 3rd straight season.
However, in the 2nd half of the season the Mariners would play mediocre baseball
and would find themselves in a three way race for two playoff spots in
the American League West, when a inopportune six game losing streak in September
knocked them out of the playoffs as they settled for third place with a 93-69
record. Following the season Manager Lou Piniella would request out of his contract,
and was traded to his hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Randy Winn.
2003: Under new Manager Bob Melvin the Mariners would establish themselves as the front-runners
in the American League West early as they held a five game lead in entering
June with a record of 36-18. The Mariners would expand their lead to seven
and half games entering July. However the Mariners would go into a slump following
the All-Star Break as the Oakland Athletics began to cut away at the Mariners
lead. Despite their slippage in the standings the Mariners could not pull
off any big deals for reinforcements at the trade deadline. In August the Mariners
would lose their grip on first place, as the A's went into first place to stay
in addition the Mariners would be swept in a four game series at home by the
Boston Red Sox costing them their Wild Card lead as they entered September playing
catch up. The Mariners would never catch anyone as they settled for second
place with a record of 93-69, thanks to a mediocre 40-41 record after July 1st.
2004: The Mariners pitching struggled from the start of the season as nobody on managed
to win more then eight games on staff that had a 4.76 ERA. Jamie Moyer who went
21-7 in 2003 would only manage a dreadful 7-13 record with a 5.21 ERA as the
Mariners sank to the bottom of the American League Western Division early, and
never recovered eventually posting an awful 63-99 record. Along the way the team
made several transitions as Freddy Garcia was traded mid-season to the Chicago
White Sox, while John Olerud was released in August. The season would also see
the Mariners say good bye to longtime Captain Edgar Martinez who retired after
an 18-year career played entirely in Seattle, collecting a franchise record
2,247 hits along the way. However as the miserable season wore on Ichiro Suzuki
would provide the lone bright spot as he went on a record breaking base hit tear
in the second half of the season batting .423 after July 1st on the way to breaking
George Sisler's 84-year old record for hits in a season of 259 by collecting
262 hits.
2005: After nearly losing 100 games the Mariners now managed by Mike Hargrove placed their
fortunes on two big free agent signings at the corner infield positions Adrian
Beltre who was coming off a career year with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Richie
Sexson who missed most of the year with Arizona Diamondbacks with an elbow
injury. While Sexson paid off with a team leading 39 homers and 121 RBI, Beltre
was a major disappointment with 19 homers 87 RBI and an ordinary .255 average,
way off his previous year's totals. Meanwhile the Mariners would struggle again
as they found themselves in last place again most of the season the way to terrible
69-93 record. Along the way their were moments of pride as Ichiro Suzuki
collected another 206 hits becoming just the third player since 1900 to collect
1,000 career hits in fewer than 700 games, while the final two months saw 19-year
old phenom Felix Hernandez wow fans on the mound with 77 strike outs in just
84 innings as he posted a 4-4 record with a solid 2.67 ERA.
2006: With the addition of Jarrod Washburn, and Felix Hernandez for a full season the Mariners
entered the season with a sense of optimism. However, Hernandez struggle
to live up to expectations posting a disappointing 12-14 record with a 4.52 ERA,
while Washburn had an awful 8-14 season with a 4.67 ERA. The Mariners would
get off to a slow start with their pitching struggling as they were 23-32 at the
end of May. However, June would be a strong month for the Mariners as they won
18 of 25 games and climbed above .500. The June comeback was all but erased
in early July, as they dropped six straight. The Mariners would however near .500
until August when an 11-game losing streak sent them falling into last place
where they would remain the rest of the season. As the season winded down the
Mariners traded Pitcher Jamie Moyer past the non-waiver deadline to the Philadelphia
Phillies for a pair of minor league prospects, as they went on to finish
with a 78-84 record.
2007: Following a busy off-season the Mariners entered the season feeling they could compete
in the American League West. Early on the Mariners wished they could just
play as an early season road trip to Cleveland was cancelled due to snow, throwing
the Mariners into a situation where they would have to go back and make up
four games later in the season when off days are at a premium. However, the Mariners
managed to hold a winning record most of the first half, though Manager
Mike Hargrove was not satisfied, as he announced his resignation on July 1st with
the Mariners in the middle of a seven game winning streak, the Mariners would
rally to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 to extend the streak to eight as Jose
Guillen tied the game in the eighth and won the game with a single that bounced
off Troy Glaus' glove in the ninth. The streak would end the following day under
new Manager John McLaren, with a 3-2 loss on the road against the Kansas City
Royals in 11 innings. As the second half got underway the Mariners made sure
they locked up their future signing Ichiro Suzuki to a five year $90 Million contract
extension, Ichiro had made history during the All-Star Game becoming the
first player to hit an inside the park home run as he was named the game's MVP.
The Mariners stayed in the race for the Western Division through much of August.
However, a stretch where they lost 15 of 18 games into September would doom
them, as there tightly packed schedule of make up games came back to haunt them.
The Mariners would go on to finish the season in second place with a record
of 88-74. Following the season the Mariners concentrated on improving their pitching
staff, as they signed Free Agent Carlos Silva from the Minnesota Twins,
and traded for Baltimore Orioles ace pitcher Erik Bedard, sending OF prospect Adam
Jones along with pitchers George Sherrill, Tony Butler, Chris Tillman and Kam
Mickolio to Baltimore in return.2008: With the acquisition of Eric Bedard the Mariners entered the season with big expectations,
but from the very start they began threading water, as they lost five
of their first seven games on the way to posting a 13-15 record through the first
month of the season. Things would only get worse in May as they sank to the
bottom of the American League Western Division with an awful 8-20 record. Things
would not get much better in June, as the Mariners cleaned house firing General
Manager Bill Bavasi, and replacing him on an interim basis with Lee Pelekoudas.
One June 19th the house cleaning reached the field as Manager John McLaren
was replaced with Jim Riggleman on an interim basis. Injuries would take their
toll on the pitching staff as an elbow injury sidelined Closer J.J. Putz, while
Eric Bedard who struggled through out the first half was placed on the disabled
list in July, meanwhile underperforming 1B Richie Sexton and Designated Hitter
Jose Vidro were released. Under Riggleman the Mariners would continue to struggle,
as ended up losing 101 games while finishing in last place with a 61-101
record.2009: The Mariners coming off a 101-loss season continued to make changes hiring a new
General Manager Jack Zduriencik, and a new Manager Don Wakamatsu, who was the first
Asian-American manager in Major League Baseball history. On the field the
Mariners made wholesale changes trading away J.J. Putz to the New York Mets in
a three team deal with the Cleveland Indians, which saw the M's acquire prospect
Mike Carp, outfielders Endy Chavez and Franklin Gutierrez. However, the acquisition
that got the biggest press was the signing of Ken Griffey Jr., who returned
to finish his career in the place it started. The homecoming for Junior was
April 14th where a sold out Safeco Field gave him a huge ovation as he went 1-for-3
as the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 in the home opener. The return
of Ken Griffey Hr. seemed to reawaken the Mariners as they played strong
baseball and April and led the American League West for most of the first month
of the season. On April 16th Ichiro Suzuki achieved a milestone that assured his
legendary status in Japan, as he recorded his 3,086th hit in a combined career
between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball, breaking the
record among Japanese-born professional players previously held by Isao Harimoto,
who attended the game in Seattle. Ichiro would once again collect 200 hits
during the season, for the ninth straight year breaking the record for consecutive
200 hit seasons held by Wee Willie Keeler. The Mariners would lose their grip
on first place as they struggled in May. However, by posting winning records
during June and July the Mariners were able to get back over .500. Helping to
pace the Mariners turnaround was Felix Hernandez, who had the best season of his
career by posting a 19-5 record with an ERA of 2.49 and 217 strike outs, while
finishing second in Cy Young voting. The Mariners would finish the season with
a record of 85-77, while finishing on a high note as Ken Griffey Jr. drove home
the winning run with an eighth inning single, and received a standing ovation
from the crowd at Safeco Field, as the Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 4-3. Following
the game, the Mariners would take a victory lap, with both Junior and
Ichiro being ridden upon the shoulders of their teammates. The Mariners would enter
the off-season looking to build off their turnaround as they acquired Left-handed
hurler Cliff Lee from the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects J. C. Ramírez,
Phillippe Aumont and Tyson Gillies. In addition they added Chone Figgins
of the Los Angeles Angels to their lineup, by signing the free agent to four year
contract worth $36 million.
2010: Following a solid 85-77 season that marked a 24 game improvement, the Seattle Mariners
entered the season with high expectations, as they acquired one of the top
pitchers in the game Cliff Lee. However, right from the start the Mariners were
bailing water as they posted an 11-12 record in April. Things only got worse
in May, as the team struggled under Manager Don Wakamatsu, with reports that Ken
Griffey Jr. was asleep in the clubhouse when the team was looking for him to
pinch hit. As the Mariners sank further Junior retired, as Cliff Lee was dealt
to the Texas Rangers for prospects, including 1B Justin Smoak just before the
All-Star Break. In July, Wakamatsu scuffled with Chone Figgins as the Mariners,
posted a horrendous 6-22 record. On August 9th, the team decided to shake things
up firing Manager Don Wakamatsu and three other coaches. Replacing him was Tacoma
AAA Manager Daren Brown who led the team to a 3-1 win over the Oakland Athletics
in his first game. Things would not get much better under Brown as the
Mariners went on to finish the season in last place with a terrible record of 61-101.
The Mariners offense was the big culprit in the team's failures, as they
were ranked at the bottom in every major statistical category in the American
League, hitting just .231 as a team, while hitting just 77 home runs as a team.
The lone bright spot for the Mariners was the pitching of Felix Hernandez, who
led the American League with an ERA of 2.27. However, with the Mariners anemic
offense that averaged just 2.6 runs per game, King Felix only managed to post
a 13-12 record. Despite his poor record, the sports writers would still award Felix
Hernandez for a fine season, as he won the American League Cy Young. After
the season the Mariners suffered another loss, as original announcer Dave Niehaus
died on November 10th and the age of 75 after suffering a heart attack. Through
34 seasons with the Mariners Niehaus called 5,284 of the 5,385 games the Mariners
had played. The Mariners would also make another change in manager, hiring
Eric Wedge, who previously managed the Cleveland Indians.
2011: Under new Manager Eric Wedge, the Mariners got off to a good start beating the Oakland
Athletics 6-2 with Felix Hernandez earning the win. The M's would win their
first two games against the A's, but came home on a four game losing streak
as they were swept by the Texas Rangers. Upon coming home they would also be swept
by the Cleveland Indians in their first series at Safeco Field. Despite some
early struggles in April the Mariners finished the first month strong, sweeping
the Detroit Tigers on the road, and winning two straight against the Boston
Red Sox to close the month with a record of 13-15. After starting May in a slump,
the Mariners played some of their best baseball in years, as they closed the
month winning 11 of 13 games, and climbed within a half game of first place with
a record of 28-26. One of the reasons for the Mariners strong play was the pitching
of rookie Miguel Pineda who showed posted a 4-1 record in April, as he
was named Rookie of the month. Pineda would have a strong first half and was selected
as a member of the American League All-Star team with a record of 8-5 at
the break. The Mariners had trouble keeping the pace with their strong month in
May, but they still remained around .500 and held a 43-43 record on July 5th.
However, as the All-Star Break arrived, the Mariners ship sprung a leak, as they
lost five in a row heading into the break. After the break things only got worse
as the streak continued for another 12 games, setting a new dubious team record
of 17 straight losses. Pineda their first half star would win just one game
in the second half, finishing the season with a record of 9-10 with an ERA of
3.74. The losing streak would be the turning point of the season, as the Mariners
would have a terrible second half as they finished in last place again with
a record of 67-95.

2012: After their third 90 loss season in four years, the Mariners looked to make some
offensive improvements as they sent Miguel Pineda to the New York Yankees in exchange
for Jesus Montero a catching prospect with power hitting potential. At just
22 and spending his first full season, Montero had a solid season with 15 home
runs and 62 RBI. The Mariners would begin the season with two games against
the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, giving Ichiro Suzuki a chance to play in front
of his home fans. In the first game, Ichiro collected four hits as the Mariners
won the game 3-1 in ten innings. The A's would bounce back to win the following
game, with Ichiro going hitless in four at bats. Coming back to the states the
Mariners, would win two games against the Athletics in Oakland. After losing
three of four games to the Texas Rangers, the Mariners came home and again faced
the Athletics winning two of three games. The Mariners had their highs and lows
in April, as the ended the first month with a record of 11-13. One of the low
points came on April 21st as they were on the wrong end of history with Phil
Humber of the Chicago White Sox tossing a perfect game at Safeco Field in a 4-0
loss for the M's. It would not be the last historic moment in Seattle. On June
8th, Safeco Field was the stage again for another gem; this one was unique as
the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0. Kevin Millwood got the start for
the Mariners, and left after six innings with a no decision, as the Dodgers were
held hitless. From there Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Luetge, Brandon
League and Tom Wilhelmsen came on and also held the Dodgers hitless for the
tenth combined no hitter in MLB history. Eleven days later Ichiro made history
collecting his 2,500th career hit, in a 12-9 road win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Only three players (Al Simmons, George Sisler and Ty Cobb) reached the
milestone faster, all of whom are Hall of Famers. It would be the last great
moment for Ichiro in a Mariners uniform, as a month later he would be dealt to
the New York Yankees. The trade of Ichiro came on July 23rd, with the Yankees in
town. Ichiro would get standing ovations throughout the series, as the Yankees
won two of three. The deal which ended an era in Seattle baseball seemed to do
immediate good for the Mariners as it allowed them to get younger. After posting
a record 43-57 through their first 100 games, the Mariners would win 18 of
their next 25 games, as they began to approach the .500 mark. Along the way history
was made at Safeco Field again, as Felix Hernandez tossed a perfect game as
the Mariners blanked the Tampa Bay Rays on August 15th. It would be another solid
season for King Felix who posted a record of 13-9, with an ERA of 3.06, with
223 strikeouts. However, after posting winning records during July and August,
the Mariners struggled in September, finishing last with a record of 75-87.
2013: With the addition of the Houston Astros to the American League West, the Mariners
were no longer the weakest team in a strong division, but they were still far
from being able to contend for a playoff spot. Despite winning their first two
games on the road against the Oakland Athletics the Mariners finished April with
a poor record of 12-17. The Mariners problems continued to be with a lackluster
offense, as no player had more than 80 RBI, while the team had the worst batting
average in the American League at .237. Raul Ibanez, at the age of 41 was
the Mariners leading power hitter with 29 homers, while Kendrys Morales led the
team in RBI with 80. Felix Hernandez had another solid year with a record of 12-10
and an ERA of 3.04, pitching again in hard luck. However, the M's best pitcher
was Hisashi Iwakuma who went 14-6 with an ERA of 2.66. The Mariners struggles
continued into July, before they came close to reach .500 with an eight game
winning streak after the All-Star Break. However, despite his team playing their
best ball of the year Manager Eric Wedge suffered a mild stroke on July 22nd
and missed nearly a month of action. With bench coach Robby Thompson filling
in for Wedge, the Mariners continued to lose more than they won especially
at home as they lost 10 of 12 games at Safeco Field in August. Eric Wedge would
return for the final six weeks of the season, but the Mariners were doomed to
another losing season, finishing in fourth place with a record of 71-91 as their
manager stepped down following the season.

2014: There was renewed excitement in the Pacific Northwest after the Seattle Mariners
landed the biggest free agent catch on the market, reeling in All-Star 2B Robinson
Cano from the New York Yankees with a ten year deal worth $240 million. The
deal gave the Mariners lineup a much need boost, as they hoped to contend in the
American League West. The Mariners, with new Manager Lloyd McLendon began the
season in Anaheim with a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Cano went 2-for-4
with a double in his debut as the Mariners beat the Angels 10-3. The Mariners
would sweep the season opening series with the Angels and lost two of three
on the road against the Oakland Athletics before again facing the Angels in their
home opener. The Mariners would split a pair of games with the Halos, but
struggled the rest of April, posting a record of 11-14. The M's would show signs
of improvement in May, and finally found their groove in June as they held a
record of 51-44 at the All-Star Break. Robinson Cano, who despite having a reduction
in his power numbers, with 18 home runs and 82 RBI had a solid first year
in Seattle, batting .314 as he was the starting second baseman in the All-Star
Game in Minnesota. The unquestioned biggest star in Seattle was Felix Hernandez,
who had perhaps the best season of his career, posting a record of 11-2 in the
first half, as started the All-Star Game. Between May 18th and August 11th,
Felix Hernandez pitched 16 straight outings going seven or more innings and allowing
two or fewer runs each time. This is the longest such streak in baseball
history, surmounting the record previously held of 13 by Tom Seaver set during
the 1971 season. Hernandez would pitch in hard luck at times in the second half
of the season, finishing with a record of 15-6, with a league leading ERA of 2.14
and 248 strikeouts. Despite these numbers, Felix Hernandez missed out on a
second Cy Young, losing by ten points in the voting to Corey Kluber of the Cleveland
Indians. Closer Fernando Rodney also made the American League All-Star team,
with 48 saves, while Kyle Seager made his first All-Star Game. Seager would
be the Mariners leading slugger with 25 home runs and 96 RBI. Catcher Mike Zunio
also showed good power numbers with 22 homers with 60 RBI, but his .199 average
left room for improvement. The Mariners looked to add offense at the trade
deadline, picking up Austin Jackson in a three team deal with the Tampa Bay Rays
and Detroit Tigers. The Mariners would send Nick Franklin to Tampa as part of
the trade. While the division title was out of reach, the Mariners would remain
in the Wild Card hunt until the very end of the season. Unfortunately, a five
game losing streak heading into the final week of the season all but derailed
their hopes. The Mariners would finish the season with four straight wins, but
fell one game short of Oakland Atheltics for the second Wild Card spot with a record
of 87-75.
2015: After narrowly missing the playoffs the Seattle Mariners entered the season with
high hopes as they were a trendy World Series pick. Helping to bolster the Mariners
confidence was the off-season signing of Nelson Cruz, the reigning American
League leader in home runs. Cruz signed a four-year contract, worth $57 million.
The Mariners season would get off to a poor start, as they dropped seven of
their first ten games. On issue that contributed the Mariners early struggles
was their bullpen. A year after setting the franchise record with 48 saves, Fernando
Rodney the Mariners closer was routinely getting hit hard. Posting an ERA
of 5.68, Rodney blew one third of his 24 save opportunities, and lost five times
before losing his spot in the bullpen, as he was designated for assignment on
August 22nd. Another issue for the Mariners was a prolonged slump from All-Star
Second Baseman Robinson Cano, who got off to a slow start hitting just two home
runs with 16 RBI over the season's first two months. Robinson Cano would later
reveal he was dealing with a severe case of acid reflux that resulted from
the treatment of a stomach parasite in the off-season. Cano would have a strong
second half and finish the season with a .287 average with 21 home runs and 79
RBI. As Cano struggled to find his swing the Mariners took on water, and went
into the All-Star Break with a record of 41-48. The Mariners most reliable hitter
was Nelson Cruz, who led the team with 44 home runs, 93 RBI and a .302 average.
However, nobody else would be able to step up and provide any support as the
Mariners were among the worst hitting teams in the American League. On the mound
things were only slightly better as Felix Hernandez again was the Mariners
top pitcher, posting a record of 18-9, but his 3.53 ERA was the worst in seven
seasons. Hernandez also failed to reach 200 strikeouts for the first time since
2009, finishing the season with 191 Ks. Despite his inconsistency Felix Hernandez
did become the fourth youngest pitcher in baseball history to reach 2,000 strikeouts
during a 4-3 win against the Oakland Athletics on May 10th. The Mariners
would get a solid season from Hisashi Iwakuma who record a record of 9-5, highlighted
by a 3-0 No Hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on August 12th at Safeco
Field, while 23-year porspect Taijuan Walker posted a record of 11-8. The
Mariners never were able to find their grove, as the finished in fourth place
with a disappointing record of 76-86. General Manager Jack Zduriencik would pay
the price for the Mariners season, as he was fired at the end of August, he would
be followed by Manager Lloyd McClendon who was dismissed at the end of the
season.